The sport utility market today includes, among other things, four wheel drive vehicles that are capable of both on-road and off-road navigation. Generally, for off-road driving or utility work-site applications, the more maneuverable a vehicle is, the more capable the vehicle is in handling various types of terrain or obstacles that may be encountered. Features such as ground clearance and suspension travel play a role in the capability of a vehicle for handling off-road work-site terrain.
Often, in off-road maneuvering such as on trails or at a construction site, obstacles are encountered that require a tight turning radius to be able to maneuver around or avoid the obstacle. Sport utility and construction vehicles have improved their turning radius' over the years, but there is still room for improvement as these vehicles still require a sizeable turning radius to maneuver around such objects.
In addition to maneuvering around obstacles or terrain, traction is a key component to maneuverability over or on terrain. Most sport utility and utility vehicles today employ various four wheel drive systems with most having a solid rear axle and a centrally mounted rear differential. The centrally mounted rear differential typically reduces ground clearance and the solid rear axle results in an upward rotative force being applied to one rear tire while a downward rotative force is applied to the other rear tire.
Though the previously described vehicle configurations and powertrain systems work for their intended purpose, they also possess certain attributes that detract from their overall utility. Thus, there is a need for an improved powertrain system and vehicle configuration that overcomes the aforementioned and other disadvantages.